FAQ

  • What kind of club is this?

The Santa Barbara Sailing Club promotes accessible sailboat racing to individuals of all ages. Its primary focus is racing small One-design and PHRF boats.


  • What levels of membership are there?

The Santa Barbara Sailing Club offers various levels of membership. Adults have the option of becoming an Associate member or a Flag Member. An Associate member is typically an individual who does not own a boat but races on one or more member boats as crew. A Flag member is typically an individual who owns or skippers a sailboat. Members who are skippers must be Flag members. The Santa Barbara Sailing Club also offers a Junior membership level for young adults.


  • How do I become a member?

That’s the easy part. Just fill in the application form and mail it to the address indicated at the bottom of the form.


  • What types or classes of boats are raced?

The Santa Barbara Sailing Club hosts races and regattas which include competitors in many classes of boats including Portsmouth, J24, F18, Melges 24, Vanguard 15, Laser, Geary 18 and many others. The most popular classes among club members however are J24’s, Portsmouth and Lasers.


  • I don’t have a boat, but am interested in crewing. Does membership help?

You bet it does. Club members, whether racing or practicing are frequently short handed and looking for help. As a club member you get assistance getting on these boats and eventually build relationships with other members and sooner or later you’ll be asked to race in the America’s Cup.


  • I have a boat but need crew?

Who hasn’t been there before! Being a club member gives you access to lots of sailors who just love to sail.


  • Does the club offer any sailing classes?

Yes, the club offer its members various classes throughout the sailing season. Classes we have held in the past include Racing Rules of Sailing, Race Management, Starting Tactics and more.


  • Are there any club boats that members can use?

Yes. The sailing club currently has several Lasers (both one and two person racing dinghies) that are available to club members.


  • How do I contact you?

If you would like information about membership, please contact SBSC at

P.O. Box 1542

Santa Barbara, CA 93102

or call Mike at 805-679-3068.


  • Tell me more about the sailing club boat yard?

The Santa Barbara Sailing Club’s boat yard is located right in the Marina and can accommodate quite a few boats of various sizes from ten feet to twenty seven feet. As a sailing club we only consider sailboats of course. Boats stored in the club yard must also be actively raced and meet a minimum annual race participation requirement.


  • When are races or regattas run?

The sailing club hosts many races and regattas throughout the year. Single day races are typically held on Saturdays. Our regattas are two-day events that run on Saturday and Sunday. Club organized races are typically scheduled every couple of weeks from March thru November. Look on the Events page to view the current year's schedule. Don’t worry, members aren’t expected to race in every one of them.


  • Can I race in other club’s events if I am a SB Sailing Club member?

Generally speaking yes unless the race is for their club members only or has specific race entrance criteria. The vast majority of races held in Southern California are sanctioned by the Southern California Yachting Association and our national sailing authority, US Sailing. The rules for participation in these sanctioned races require participants to be Flag members of Yacht Clubs which are themselves members of SCYA or other regional associations which are also part of US Sailing. SB Sailing Club is a member of SCYA and our members qualify to race in all these sanctioned races.


  • What’s the difference between a Yacht Club and the Santa Barbara Sailing Club?

SBSC is classified as a yacht club and we control our facilities including our storage yard and our shared hoist and pier facility through agreements with the City of Santa Barbara. We do not currently have a free-standing clubhouse, though we do have meeting facilities in the Harbor. In keeping with our mission of providing lower cost access to sailboat racing, our costs are typically from hundreds to several thousand dollars less per year than some yacht clubs.